Interviewed by Michael Juvinall – Horror Society
Bruce Campbell or as he’s lovingly referred to by his fans as “The Chin” is a television and film actor/writer/producer/and director. Campbell needs no introduction to fans of the horror genre but for the sake of those who might not be as familiar with his credits I’ll recap. Campbell is best known for his snarky and irreverent sense of humor and his role of “Ash” in the series of films, Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead 2 (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992) and his association with those films’s writer and director Sam Raimi and fellow producer Rob Tapert. Together along with a few other cronies, Campbell and group have conspired together to create/produce/act/direct such films and TV shows as Crimewave (1985), Darkman (1990), Hercules: The Legendary Journeys / Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-99), Jack of All Trades TV Series (2000), and made brief appearances in Raimi’s blockbusters Spider-Man 1-3 (2002-7) and The Quick and the Dead (1995).
Campbell has also acted in fine genre films such as Maniac Cop (1988), Maniac Cop 2 (1990), Intruder (1989), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992), Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1995), The X-Files (1999), Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) and starred as “Sam Axe” in Burn Notice (TV Series).
Most recently, Campbell has fans in an uproar for his new TV series for the Starz Network that will reunite him again with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert in the hotly anticipated Ash vs. Evil Dead. Ash, after a 30 year break will again battle the Deadites when they threaten to destroy all mankind and Ash becomes the human race’s only hope. Campbell also is promoting the second season as host of his game show, Last Fan Standing by asking for a little crowdfunding help.
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to briefly sit down with Bruce Campbell to ask him about Last Fan Standing, Ash vs. Evil Dead and his 2nd annual Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival in Chicago.
*[Note: Given the opportunity I would’ve loved to have more time with Bruce, but his handlers were keeping things short!]
Horror Society: As far as Last Fan Standing, how are the contestants for the show chosen?
Bruce Campbell: You come in, you walk in the door. Everyone gets a clicker and out of that we have I think four preliminary rounds and out of that we pick the four best people, the four people that get the most right. They come up, it’s that simple.
Horror Society: I have to get an Ash vs. Evil Dead question in here.
Bruce Campbell: Yeah!
Horror Society: What has Ash been up to all these years since we’ve last seen him?
Bruce Campbell: Jack shit! He hasn’t been doing anything. Everyone’s wanted these great stories of what he’s been up to. He hasn’t been doing anything.
Horror Society: Living in his trailer?
Bruce Campbell: Yeah, drinking and hitting on women late at night and lying about what happened to his right hand.
Horror Society: You have your second annual Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival.
Bruce Campbell: I do. That’s this weekend. I’m very excited, we have a great lineup. Eli Roth is coming. Tom Holland is here to show Fright Night. We’ve got some oldies, some goodies, new; we’re just trying to celebrate the filmmaker.
Horror Society: How much of a hand did you have in picking the films?
Bruce Campbell: We have wonderful judges for that. Mainly I just wanted to give these guys free reign because they’re very picky and they know what the hell they’re doing, so I’m going to let them do their job and put some good movies in front of these people. They know better than I do, they’re patient people to sit down and sort through all these movies.
Horror Society: Thank you very much!
Watch the Season 2 Kickstarter campaign for Last Fan Standing:
Watch the trailer for Ash vs. Evil Dead here:
